What Does It Take To Beat Anderson Silva?

Registering eight successive wins inside the octagon—most in impressive fashion—he has a lock on the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter.

He has made great fighters look like novices. Just look at Rich Franklin, perhaps one of the most well-rounded fighters until the Spider got him entangled in a poisonous web of fists, knees and elbows. Looking at both fights, it was clear Silva does not belong to the human race.

His precision striking, composure, and a dash of cockiness make for a dangerous fighter.

The question that begs to be answered: Is there anyone among the crop of UFC middleweights who could possibly beat Silva? What does it take to beat this venomous spider?

Reportedly being lined up for a possible title shot is Michael Bisping. But, in my opinion, Bisping will not get the job done unless he improves his game by leaps and bounds. He barely survived Matt Hamill, escaping with a very close split decision.

Silva belongs to another level when ranged against the likes of Hamill, who is himself a respectable fighter. Silva will annihilate Bisping with much to spare.

Nobody in middleweight can take Silva out standing up. A well trained jiu-jitsu fighter who can impose his game on Silva and take him to the ground while eluding punishment has the best chance of snatching his belt. Remember that two of the Spider's losses prior to entering the UFC came by way of submission, courtesy of two Japanese fighters.

Then the name of Demian Maia comes to mind. The guy's jiu-jitsu is off the charts. Unbeaten in nine fights, four of them inside the Octagaon, this is one fighter who, if he can dictate the tempo of the fight and take it to the ground, has a chance of beating Silva.

Many may disagree with this, but Maia has what it takes to deal Silva his first loss in the Octagaon. He will, of course, have to find ways to take Silva to the ground. That means having to avoid sharpened elbows and knees and fists made of stone. If he figures that out, Silva, who himself has good jiu-jitsu, will succumb to Maia's superior skills.

Apart from the Cote win, one of the Spider's most unimpressive wins was against Travis Lutter. He seemed to have difficulty on the ground and at one point looked in danger of being ground and pounded. On his feet, it would take nothing less than a battle axe to beat him in a stand-up match.

Maia must be ranged against a top-notch middleweight with stand-up skills for him to show that he deserves to share space with Silva inside the ring.